


A Brush with Death

by allthetrek



Series: A Brush With Death [1]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Angst, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-17
Updated: 2019-03-17
Packaged: 2019-11-19 15:37:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18137645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allthetrek/pseuds/allthetrek
Summary: Captain Pike watches helplessly as you fight for your life; he thinks he’s lost you.WARNINGS: Spoilers, violence, injury, angst.





	A Brush with Death

You had volunteered for the away mission to board the Section 31 headquarters. Now aboard the station, you had left your companions to try to access the personnel logs in another section; the logs could be the key to understanding what had happened here. Airiam had followed you, her calculated footsteps undetectable over the ambient noise of the station; life support now online and the cooled metal of the station expanding rapidly as the temperature became more hospitable.

The metal let out pings of noise as it expanded; making Airiam’s footsteps blend into the din as she gained on you, her pace quickening. The entity that possessed her intended to pick each of you off one by one. Disabling you would not be enough. It had no regard for organic life; you all had to die.

At first it had appeared that she was going after you to assist you, so no one watching had realized what was happening. In reality, you being alone made you the logical first victim. You had almost reached a workstation that appeared relatively undamaged; you could use it to access the information you required. Behind you, Airiam raised her phaser, took aim, and…

“[Y/N], look out!” the Captain’s voice exclaimed from your communication link. You reacted quickly, spinning around and catching Airiam’s presence in your field of vision. You dodged her phaser blast, just barely, and the potent energy hit the console ahead of you. The energy surged through the console, penetrating into the power conduits that fed it and resulting in a critical overload.

The console exploded behind you, the force propelling you toward Airiam. You felt heat and pain along your back and neck, scorching hot shrapnel piercing into your environmental suit at your shoulder and rib-cage. You landed forcefully on the ground in a pile with Airiam, who was largely unaffected by the blast, a cybernetic advantage.

You were disoriented, your ears ringing from the explosion, your body becoming hypoxic, one of your lungs now punctured and ineffective. You gasped for breath, sharp pain permeating your body. Captain Pike realized what was happening; something was very wrong with Airiam. She had been compromised by some unknown entity. Perhaps the same one that had been sabotaging the ship… The pieces started to come together, harsh reality dawning on the Captain as he watched Airiam’s hands come around your exposed neck, the view of her strangling you and your view as a recipient visible from your suit cams.

The Captain’s chest tightened as he watched helplessly. Time seemed to slow down as his adrenaline surged, bringing such clarity to the moment. The two of you had been getting closer lately, the passionate physical and emotional connection you shared like nothing either of you had expected or imagined. You had stopped fighting it, giving in to the powerful chemistry neither of you could deny any longer. Since then, your feelings for each other had been growing exponentially, your relationship progressing at warp like it was just meant to be.

He watched as you struggled to fight off Airiam. Impaired by your injuries, you tried desperately to defend yourself, your blows to her barely registering as the entity ignored the sensation and focused on its task of extinguishing your life. Pike barked orders to Michael and Nhan, alerting them of Airiam’s compromised status. He ordered them to help you, the urgent tone of his voice communicating how dire the situation was.

You felt your consciousness slipping away, the severe pain and pressure around your neck receding as your senses dulled. The last thing you heard was the sound of Christopher’s voice, “[Y/N]! Stay with me!”. You seemed so incredibly far away right now. Here he was, on the bridge, watching you die and there wasn’t a thing he could do besides pray that the others got to you in time. He glanced at the vitals display, seeing the critical red readings from your suit. Then, suddenly, no readings at all. Your light had gone out.

The Captain fought back the pain and exasperation clawing at his insides, his years of training and experience kicking in yet again as he held his composure. This was no time to break down. He issued his commands, watching as Airiam left your seemingly lifeless form, your eyes closed, your body motionless.

*** While you were out… ***

Airiam overpowers Nhan, disabling her and attempting to do the same to Michael. After an intense struggle, Michael is forced to eject Airiam and the entity that is controlling her into space. It is a heartbreaking moment for everyone on the bridge as they take in the events that have just unfolded before their eyes. Three of their friends and colleagues were just killed horrifically. The Captain continues to direct Michael, and Nhan reappears, injured but alive. They go to check on you. Michael kneels beside you, tears stinging her eyes as she hopes so badly that you’re not as dead as you look. Her fingers press against your jugular, and she feels an incredibly weak but promising pulse.

“She’s alive captain,” she reports with a sigh of relief, the same feeling then washing over everyone on the bridge as they take in her words. Your suit monitors must have been damaged; they stopped transmitting your vitals. Captain Pike feels intense hope and relief surge through him, easing the ache of impending darkness that had begun to encroach on his entire being.

*** Shortly… ***

You began to regain consciousness, the dull ache of your back and side becoming more noticeable as you rejoined the land of the living. Your eyes opened gradually, the white ceiling of sick bay coming into focus in the comfortingly dim lighting. You lay on the medi-bed, having been there for some time now. It had been quite a job for the doctor to patch you up. Literally. Your punctured lung was a closed system once again; your burns, abrasions, and other traumas now resolved enough for your body to deem it time to wake up.

The Captain had been lingering in sick bay for hours, watching the medical crew tend to your wounds. The extent of your injuries tore him up inside. Your beautiful body had been put through so much, including the bruising around your neck that the dermal regenerator hadn’t completely erased. Red marks where Airiam had tried to squeeze the life out of you provided a painful reminder to Christopher that he had almost lost you. He didn’t care if his presence near you seemed over-attentive, or if others started to suspect that there was something between the two of you. He was pretty sure most people aboard already knew. With the exception of the Admiral, but that would be a conversation for another time…

Christopher saw your eyes open, your body shifting awake, and he moved closer to you. Your eyes met his; you were disoriented, confused. Why were you in sick bay?

“Captain… Chris… What…,” you trailed off, your eyes asking him for an explanation.

“You were injured, [Y/N]. You’re going to be okay. I’ll fill you in on the details later,” he said softly, a weak smile on his lips, so happy to hear your voice again. It felt like ages since he’d heard your voice; his mind began subconsciously calculating the last thing you had said to him before you’d left on the away mission. It didn’t matter now. No longer would those be your last words to him.

Christopher’s hand came to yours and he squeezed it gently. Really, all he wanted was to kiss you, hold you, be alone with you and tend to you until you were completely better, and even longer perhaps. But, he restrained himself, this wasn’t the time or place. He still had a vital mission at hand.

The doctor came back to assess you now that you were awake. The events that transpired on the station began to flood back into your mind, but with some major gaps due to your lack of oxygen and injurious state. It was okay though, maybe it was better that you didn’t remember vividly your friend trying to murder you. It felt like a dream now, a bad dream and waking up to your sweet Christopher was already easing the unpleasant memory.

Christopher smiled at you and said he would be back later to check on you. You knew he had things to attend to. He was the Captain after all, and the universe wasn’t going to save itself. You all had a part to play, and you would be back to playing yours as soon as you were fit for duty.

The Captain left sick bay and walked contemplatively to the bridge. He felt relieved, emotionally exhausted, but determined to press on.

A glimpse of a life without you had terrified him to his core. He hoped he never had to feel that again. It would be a long time before he would authorize you for an away mission. You might protest, you might not be happy with him about it, but at least you would be safe. He couldn’t lose you. Not again.


End file.
